When will the Government listen to our farmers’ voices?

ASK any cattle farmer, and they will talk at length about how Bovine TB (BTB) has impacted themselves or a neighbour.

According to official statistics, the rate of BTB has risen dramatically in the Enniskillen area in recent years – and it is a disease that is wreaking havoc on farmers’ livelihoods.

In any other industry, to have a major source of income decimated due to the results of a test that is largely out of a person’s control would be unthinkable.

But this is the reality for cattle farmers across the county, and once they receive the dreaded news that they are “down on the test”, their herds are reduced, and they are restricted in their ability to sell in all but one avenue.

This week, The Impartial Reporter took an in-depth look at the issues surrounding BTB (see Pages 14-17) and the impact this is having on farmers. The findings were stark.

Responses to FOIS revealed the mounting cost of BTB compensation paid out by the Department, which is rising by the millions each year.

Other responses revealed some interesting findings on badger testing in Fermanagh.

Farmers also have their say, and each highlight the hassle, stress and financial costs of a disease that remains as widespread than ever.

This isn’t just going by BTB herd incidence; anecdotally, local farmers will tell you that things have scarce been as bad.

This week, UFU President, David

Brown, reiterated his calls for an on-farm meeting with Agriculture Minister Andrew Muir. The meeting was called for in March, but has not yet come to fruition.

As a farmer from Florencecourt, Mr. Brown knows all too well the impact of BTB on his farming area. He hopes that if the UFU highlights the issue to the Minister, meaningful action will be taken on the issue of BTB.

But until then, farmers generally feel that they have been left to deal with the impacts of BTB largely on their own.

They are also fearful that a suggestion to cut compensation – from 10 per cent in the first year, to 25 per cent by the second – will come to fruition.

A consultation, ran by the Department of Agriculture, on this highly-unpopular move has now closed, but the results have yet to be seen.

However, the Department did reveal that just shy of 5,000 responses were received.

Let us hope that the majority of these responses are against the reduction in compensation, and that fresh action on this issue will be taken.